


From The Ashes

by Deathscythe_Demiguy



Series: Ashes arc [1]
Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Beginnings, Character Death, Complicated Relationships, Death, Dreams and Nightmares, Falling In Love, Grief, Grief/Mourning, Loss, Love Confessions, M/M, Polyamory, Whump, non graphic vomit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-16
Updated: 2019-03-16
Packaged: 2019-11-18 18:10:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18124721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Deathscythe_Demiguy/pseuds/Deathscythe_Demiguy
Summary: When Duo dies after a botched mission leaves him, Heero, and Wu Fei in the hands of the enemy, his partner and his best friend escape together. But what will they do now that their reason to keep fighting has turned to ash in the ruins of an OZ compound?





	From The Ashes

**Author's Note:**

> So I did this without a beta and ended up making a LOT of careless errors. I’m going to be updating both this story and We Will Rise. If you aren’t happy with the quality or continuity, I encourage you to check back in a couple weeks. -A, 24 August 2019

Wufei 

Wufei always had the same nightmare. He could see them drag Duo out kicking and screaming, hear Duo's grunts and screams. Feel the cool metal that bound his wrists to thick cement walls, smell the sweat, blood, and filth of the cell. He could hear the guards footfalls and the unsettling scrape of duo’s steel toes against the cement floors. When they dropped Duo between Heero and Wufei, he was still sort of breathing. Letting out rapid, shaky gasps that rasped with a sticky, wet wheeze. Heero was screaming his name, trying to get him to look, trying to get him to breathe. Wufei could hear the wet sputters as Duo's bruised and punctured lungs began to fill with fluid and he could feel Heero's anguish. 

Normally, he would wake up here, choking back sobs and the bile rising in his throat, much like it had that day as Duo lay dying just out of reach. 

Heero had broken his wrist and thumb fighting the restraints, forcing a hand out of the tight shackles. He reached out and dragged Duo into his lap in time to watch the light leave his startled lover's eyes. As Heero shook him hard, begging him to wake up, a lockpick slipped from his braid, the clatter of metal on concrete making Heero seek out the sound. Duo still resting in his lap with unseeing eyes open, Heero unlocked his other cuff, then wrapped both arms around the boy's body. 

This shifted Duo so that Wufei could see that vacant lifeless expression and he retched without even knowing he would. The sound, or perhaps the smell, pulled Heero from his grief momentarily. He gently settled Duo on the floor, closing his eyes, and slid over to Wufei to unfasten his shackles as well. They didn't have much time until the bastards who did this to Duo would be back. 

Wufei tried to will himself awake, but the dream pulled him in deeper. He'd never seen Heero cry before that moment and he knew the image would never leave his mind, much like those vacant violet eyes. 

At the sound of footsteps, they had flanked the only door to the cell and rushed the guards the moment the door swung open. Bare hands snapped necks with a quickness neither had ever managed before. Heero spared a glance back to the cell and choked on a sob. “We can't.” Wufei heard himself say. Though now he would have given anything to take those words back, to have Duo buried somewhere safe, to be able to visit. They took their time setting up any and everything that could possibly explode and set off a chain reaction and ran as fast as they could. Duo's gundam was the detonator. They pressed the manual destruct and ran like their lives were worth running back to. 

Wufei shot up in bed as the compound burst apart with explosion after explosion, flames engulfing everything, including Duo's body. He swallowed hard and willed himself not to vomit as the dream flashed in his head over and over. As he moved to climb out of bed he heard a creak outside his room and instinctively reached for a weapon.

When he pulled the door open he found Heero, obviously exhausted, standing with his hand raised to knock.

“I have them too. They’re always worse right after.” He said softly, motioning Wufei closer. The other pilot obliged, following Heero down the hall to his room. The one he and Duo had shared at this safe house not more than a few weeks ago. He slid into bed, Duo’s side, and turned back the covers on the side opposite him. When Wufei looked confused Heero replied with “Trust me, Chang.” 

And he did. As much as he could trust anyone anymore. That mission could have driven a wedge between them, could have forced them apart from one another, only working together for the sake of the mission, and it still could. Looking at Heero still made Wufei’s chest tighten, taking him back to that cell with Heero bent over the body of the boy he’d begrudgingly allowed himself to love only months before. He stepped into the room and laid stiffly in the space Heero had left for him. He took in a shaky breath and inhaled the scent of Duo’s shampoo. He closed his eyes, willing away angry tears that prickled up against the images flashing in his head. 

Wufei hadn’t even wanted the friendship of the braided pilot, but Duo had been persistent, determined to break down every wall he had put up. The other teen had ignored his angry protests, had pushed every button he could without stepping on a single sore spot. Duo goaded him into friendship, and once he had it, Wufei felt honor bound to maintain the bond Duo had forced between them. It didn’t take much for Duo to grow on him though. Late night talks during surveillance missions, remembering the people they both lost on their colonies, times they dared to think of a future beyond this war. Duo confessed that he was in love with Heero in the middle of an infiltration mission and Wufei didn’t have time to process the jealousy he felt before Duo blasted open a wall and they had to focus on the mission. 

A hand on his chest startled him from his memories and his head snapped to the side, onyx gaze locking to Heero’s space blue. For a moment he couldn’t catch his breath. Wufei had never done something so intimate with anyone. Not even his wife. He read the emotion in those cobalt eyes easily and the overwhelming pain echoing his own knocked the wind right out of him. His hand came up to press Heero’s closer, heart hammering underneath. For a long while neither boy moved, not even to blink. Then, just like that, Heero withdrew his hand and rolled onto his side, back to the other gundam pilot. Wufei cleared his throat and did the same, eventually falling back into an uneasy sleep. 

 

 

Heero

Heero knew it wasn’t Duo pressed to his back the second he woke up, but still he allowed the warmth of the other pilot to comfort him for a moment. Truthfully, Wufei being next to him had given Heero the first restful sleep he’d had since he had lost Duo. Hearing the even breathing and his scent, just beginning to mingle with Duo’s that overpowered the whole room, left Heero feeling for a moment like things were what they used to be. Duo coming to bed smelling of shampoo, grease, and Wufei after hours of upgrading their gundams together or the familiar mingling musk of a particularly intense sparring session between the two friends. 

Heero couldn’t help the soft chuckle that rose from his chest when Wufei stiffened behind him and scooted away. He rolled onto his back and put a hand out to grab the fleeing teen gently. “Stay.” He said, eyes meeting startled onyx. “Please, just- its not even morning” He winced at the touch of desperiation in his tone. The plea appeared to work as Wufei slid back under the covers and stared up at the ceiling, uncomfortable but not leaving him behind. 

Heero wondered if it was a favor to him, or if Wufei had expected Heero to come to his senses and push the other teen away in the same way he’d done the others in the past. Heero hadn’t wanted to though. Even if he had wanted to close himself off, he didn’t think he could. Duo had slowly chipped away at the walls around him, leaving him raw and exposed. And even with all his training, he hadn’t been able to close himself off again. Now that he was hurting in a way he’d never known was possible, he was helpless against the complicated assault of emotion he had been feeling since Duo had dropped to that cold cement floor. 

It was strange. Heero hadn’t wanted to be close to the other pilots before, not even once he and Duo had come together. But now that Duo was gone, he felt like they were all that was left of the boy he loved so much, and the only ones who genuinely understood what he was feeling now. And Wufei being there, seeing the life leave his eyes, had Heero wanting to be close to him. Maybe even as close as Duo had been. He continued to watch the other pilot, the rapid rise and fall of his chest, the way his tongue darted out to wet dry lips, the way his fingers twisted in the sheets with every inhale. Heero hadn’t seen it before, but now he knew. Wufei was heartbroken, too. 

The first night Heero walked into that room and was enveloped in the scent of Duo, all his strength left him and he sunk to the carpet, body wracked with sobs. It was after he and Wufei had written up the mission report, after a quick vidfone debriefing huddled together in Shenlong’s cockpit. Remembering how right after Wufei had recounted those last moments to him through streaming tears, knowing Heero wouldn’t be able to rest until he knew every detail of Duo’s final breaths. Yes. Heero could grow to feel for him what Duo had. He already felt a softness for the other, knowing he was precious to his Duo. 

The realization shook him, and Heero decided he was up for the day. He got up and headed for the bathroom without looking back at his bedmate. He grabbed a shower, using The smallest bit of Duo’s shampoo and conditioner. He felt silly. He could always buy more, and he was never one for sentimental bullshit, but he couldn’t stop himself. When he got back to the room Wufei was still there. He had gotten out of bed and was standing in front of the small set of drawers with some of Duo’s clothes tossed haphazardly on top, hand holding a fistful of a ratty shirt Heero recognized as one Duo had borrowed from Wufei and never returned. 

“That one is yours.” Wufei nearly jumped out of his skin, letting the shirt in his hand fall back onto the dresser. Heero stood in the doorway with a towel loosely around his hips and the edges of his lips twitched up at the startled reaction of the other pilot. Wufei seemed to snap out of his shock and his face and neck flushed red, probably embarrassed at having been caught going through their things. “If there’s anything of his you want, just ask for it, Wufei.” Heero watched a million emotions flit across his face before his face went mostly neutral. “I should make tea.” Heero heard as Wufei pushed past him to the solitude of the kitchen. 

Heero stepped up to the dresser and carefully folded the shirt Wufei had been holding. He dressed in his usual tank top, and a discarded pair of sweatpants, hair still dripping from the shower. He carefully took in the state of the room and decided it was time to actually tidy a few things. Leaving it like this made Heero feel like Duo could walk through that door any moment and he didn’t think he could stand it much longer. He put some things aside to wash and carefully folded a few of the cleaner pieces of Duo’s dirty laundry, putting them in a duffle to help retain the scent. He pulled a few more pieces from the drawers and then gathered Wufei’s shirt, heading to the other’s room. Heero placed them on the bed and headed for the kitchen. 

 

 

Wufei 

For the next few weeks, the two hardly spoke, but Wufei had been coming to bed with Heero wearing one of Duo’s too-big shirts every night. They were companionable, if a little distant. Wufei needed the space and he was thankful that the other teen didn’t push him. When it came time to move to another town, closer to their next objective, Wufei helped Heero pack away some of Duo’s things that they wanted to hang onto, each placing whatever they could fit into their respective bags. Wufei left behind his glass tea cup to make room for the mug Duo always used, comical saying long worn off. 

The new safehouse had two single beds. Wufei didn’t really understand the knot he felt in the pit of his stomach at the discovery. He hadn’t been able to sleep at all, for fear of the nightmares returning. Before the sun was even up, Wufei had given up on sleep and set a strong pot of coffee to brew. They had to go over the details for this upcoming mission and trek out to properly camouflage their gundams this morning. 

Wufei was still confused by the realization that he missed Heero’s warm body pressed up to his the previous night when Heero slipped into the kitchen that morning. He definitely understood the rush of warmth and the desire to comfort his friend when Heero found Duo’s mug already put away in the cabinet and choked back a sob. He stepped up, placing a hand on Heero’s bicep in what he hoped was a comforting gesture and was wholly unprepared for Heero to whirl around and pull him into a crushing embrace. 

His mind raced, throat going dry as he stood frozen in place. Heero’s fingers dug into his torso, bruising the flesh there and threatening to rip holes in his thin tank top. He could feel the spread of warmth across his shoulder, and a tiny droplet of warmth slid under his tank, going cold as it went. He clutched at the fabric at Heero’s back, pulling him impossibly close at the realization that the 01 pilot was crying. In the nearly three months since Duo’s passing, Heero had never done anything like this. He cried, of course, Just like Wufei had for months after the loss of his wife. But those moments were largely private. The only one he’d ever allowed to see him like that was Duo. 

That’s how he knew what Heero must be needing in that moment. He focused on what Duo had done the night Wufei had broken down in front of him. He was so embarrassed and ashamed, but Duo hadn’t hesitated to pull him into a bone-crushing hug. He could still feel the braided pilot’s fingers along his back. He could recall the feeling of collapsing into Duo’s arms when he began to card his fingers through Wufei’s dark hair. The feeling of Duo’s breath as it ghosted past his ear while he murmured nonsense about not needing to be strong all the time. 

Wufei’s fingers inched their way up the sobbing teen’s back and up into his hair. And just as it had been with Wufei, Heero slumped against him and they slid to the floor. Wufei tried to recall exactly what Duo had said to him, but he had a feeling it didn’t matter what was said. “You’re not alone in this, Yu- Heero.” He swore in mandarin and was surprised when he got a small laugh from the pilot sniffling against him. “All this time and you still call me ‘Yuy’” he heard murmured into his shoulder. Heero shifted himself back a bit, still firmly against him, but looking up into his face now. “You still call me ‘Chang’” he retorted, watching those cobalt eyes crinkle slightly.

“That’s how you want it, isn’t it?” Heero’s words were more of a statement than a question, but Wufei caught himself thinking hard. Is that what he wanted? Absolutely not. He didn’t want to isolate the person his love had cherished most. He brushed back a strand of hair, wondering when his hair had come loose. By now it was nearly to his shoulder blades and got into everything if it wasn’t tied back. Another strand slipped free, coming to rest against Heero’s cheek. When had they gotten so close, he wondered. Heero’s fingers brushed against his cheek as the boy pushed the offending strand behind Wufei’s ear. His pulse was deafening in his ears when Heero’s hand lingered for a few seconds too long.

“No, Heero, I want you to call me Wufei. I think that given everything we have seen together, last names are too impersonal now.” He pulled back and stood, offering a hand to the messy-haired pilot. He felt a familiar jolt when Heero’s warm, callused hand wrapped around his and he nearly dropped the teen back on his ass. He knew then that this fragile friendship would end in fireworks or flames, and he wasn’t sure he could close himself off this time. He couldn’t leave Heero without someone who understood just how much he had lost. And by now Wufei knew Heero knew what he felt for Duo. 

 

 

Heero 

After the incident earlier that day, Heero and Wufei discussed the upcoming mission and started some preliminary planning. They headed to their gundams to assess repairs they may need to make and to insure they were properly camouflaged. They could have worked independently like they always had, but this fragile thing between them made Heero afraid to stray too far. He told himself it wasn’t that HE didn’t want to be separated from the other pilot. 

So they worked together, a bit clumsy at first, both used to working with Duo. But by the time they were done assessing Wing, the two were a well oiled machine. Shenlong needed minor repairs and they worked in perfect synchronicity, anticipating the moves of the other, getting out a word here or there. They both felt the weight of the loss they had experienced, but working together like this made Heero feel like maybe he could still do this without Duo. 

They finished just before sundown and walked the nearly three miles back in the dying glow. Fireflies sparked up around them as they walked through the brush. Heero turned in time to see the soft, almost childlike look in Wufei’s eyes and realized this might be the first time the other pilot had seen fireflies. Heero hadn’t seen them until he’d been stranded alone on a mission the previous summer. Quatre and Trowa had laughed at his startled reaction and the tiny surprised smile he let show. He remembered them all sitting down for rations right then, heero keeping track of every little spark and twinkle around them while Quatre sat pressed up against Trowa as they laughed together. 

Heero reached out and put a hand on Wufei’s shoulder, halting him. He felt the pilot shiver under his palm and had to bite back a grin. “Sit, I need water.” Heero knew Wufei wouldn’t question it if Heero was the one who needed a rest. So they sat together, sharing the canteen and pulling out two meal bars. “We can scrape together some real food when we get in.” Heero remarked when Wufei’s nose visibly wrinkled at the protein bar. Wufei took it, but tucked it into his pocket instead. 

Heero couldn’t help himself. He threw his head back and laughed for the first time since he’d been without Duo. But damnit the other pilot was being adorable. Heero let that thought echo in his head for a while, stirring the words around and deciding he was okay with it. He couldn’t deny that Wufei WAS rather cute, eyes wide. And when he began to chuckle too, Heero laid back in the grass, pulling the other pilot with him.

The only way to live a good life is to act on your emotions. Heero had lived by those words for a while now, and right now, his emotions were telling him not to let go of this spark he found in Duo’s closest friend. Staring up at the stars, at the fireflies twinkling around them, Heero reached out and Wufei’s hand was there, reaching for him too. And when he turned to look at the other pilot, his breath caught in his chest. Hair loose around him, cheeks slightly rosy from the laughing or the contact, eyes bright and softer than Heero had seen even for Duo. 

Heero had never expected to feel this again. After Duo died, he didn’t think he COULD ever connect again, let alone this soon. His thoughts were interrupted by a small shiver from the other boy, and a long growl of his stomach. They both laughed then and Heero pulled them both up, knocking Wufei off balance. They both knew he could have stopped himself falling into Heero’s chest. And Heero knew he could have rejected him easily in that moment, steadying him and stepping back. But Heero stepped forward, meeting the other pilot and wrapping his arms around the suddenly breathless teen. 

Wufei

Wufei couldn’t catch his breath. He was a little light-headed from hunger he told himself. It wasn’t that the intoxicating scent of the pilot he was pressed firmly against was overwhelming him. Or that the excitement of the evening was making his heart feel like it would pound out of his chest. He wondered if this was what Duo felt pressed against Heero’s broad chest with those powerful arms gently stroking his back. His stomach growled again and Wufei knew that Heero had felt it. 

“Lets head back.” Heero said softly into his hair. As they separated, Wufei reached out and twined his fingers in Heero’s, giving a soft tug when the other pilot stilled, staring at their hands. Heero’s fingers tightened around his and they resumed the last half mile to the safehouse. 

Wufei immediately put the kettle on for tea and began rummaging through their food supply. Heero slipped off down the hall. Wufei could hear thumping against the wall, and heard the scrape of metal over wood in the hallway, followed by a curse. Wufei’s heart jumped to his throat and he nearly knocked over the pot of rice he’d just set to cook. “Heero?”He called out, already stepping around the counter to find the other boy. “It’s fine! Keep cooking or you’ll burn it like Duo.”

The tone was light, but Wufei felt a pang of loss. Heero seemed to realize his mistake and was across the counter from him in a second. Wufei moved to step around the counter, but Heero reached across and pulled him bodily against the counter, leaning in to press their lips together in an unexpectedly intense kiss. Wufei was vaguely aware of the kettle whistling. When they pulled apart both boys were crying. Wufei remembered the rice when the pot boiled over and he dragged a hand across his eyes before stirring the rice and turning down the heat. 

Heero watched him from across the counter, fingers pressed to his lips, seemingly an unconscious gesture. He worked quickly to prepare a simple meal of rice fried with egg and the few frozen vegetables that wouldn’t be mushy. They ate together at the bar, smiling at each other from time to time. Wufei remembered the strange noises from the hallway as he was filling the sink to wash their dishes, and mentioned it to Heero. Instead of an answer, Heero grabbed him lightly by the wrist and tugged him away from the sink. “Leave it.”

Wufei wanted to protest, but the smile he saw in the other pilot’s eyes made him follow. The floor of the hallway had a few deep scratches leading from the room with the window facing the morning sun to the one on the side of the house. When Heero opened the door, Wufei couldn’t stop himself from smiling. Heero had dragged the twin bed from one room into this one and shoved them together. Blankets were roughly tossed on top, and the mattresses needed to be pushed together, but this was their room to share. 

He hadn’t known how to feel over the past few weeks as his friendship grew into affection. And now into the first pangs of love. He thought he was moving too fast, that his feelings were just due to the trauma of losing the second person he’d loved like this. But he was realizing this had always been just under the surface. Duo had been the one to bring them together to see how well they could work together, that the other had qualities they could admire. But he wasn’t the only thing holding them together. 

The two beds pushed roughly together in the corner were proof of that. When he looked back at Heero, he didn’t have a doubt about what he was doing and why. Losing Duo without ever letting him know how he felt had taught Wufei that he had to act on his emotions if he didn’t want to live with even more regret. He stepped forward and lifted up on tiptoe to brush his lips to Heero’s, eyes still locked. 

When he pulled back, he began to speak. “Heero, you know I didn’t-” Heero pressed another kiss to his lips, letting his tongue just brush his bottom lip. Heero’s hand was on his cheek, thumb brushing across his cheekbone. “I know. You aren’t making the same mistake.” This time, when their lips met, Wufei could feel electricity jolt through him, making him weak. Every limb felt heavy. They parted, both suddenly drained. He remembered that neither of them had slept without the other the night before. 

Heero stepped out of his grasp and pushed the mattresses tightly together before beginning to throw a sheet on top and tucking it underneath. Wufei grabbed a shirt out of the chest of drawers and was about to look for Duo’s pair of cutoff sweatpants, startled to find that the clothes in the drawer were his. He opened the second drawer to find it was full of Heero’s clothes. “The next one’s Duo’s” Heero’s voice was warm and an instant later, so was his breath on Wufei’s cheek while he snagged a shirt and shorts from the bottom drawer. 

He couldn’t wrap his head around any of this, and he knew they needed to talk, but he was exhausted and so was Heero. Wufei felt him pull back and heard the rustle of clothes. He kept his back turned, not quite ready for that, and sure Heero wouldn’t be either. He grabbed the shorts and left for the bathroom. When he came back, Heero had finished making the bed and was already under the covers waiting. “You think too much, Wufei. Come to bed, I know you didn’t sleep either.” That was the most Duo thing Heero had said in Wufei’s presence.

Wufei caught the string that turned out the light and crawled up from the bottom of the bed, a little embarrassed. When he slid under the covers, Heero’s arms wrapped around him, pulling them back to chest. Wufei sighed, relaxing completely. Things wouldn’t always feel this good, this peaceful. His grief wouldn’t always be so quiet, but right now that didn’t matter. Duo would have told him to think a little less and follow his emotions. He didn’t know if this could really work, but Duo had shown him that he had to try. He wouldn’t let an opportunity for happiness in this awful war slip through his fingers again. 

 

 

Heero 

Heero hadn’t realized that Wufei could feel so right in his arms. The kiss over the counter, the one after abandoning the dishes, the kiss he pressed to the shell of Wufei’s ear. Every single one felt incredible. Not the same as with Duo, but damn near the intensity. Heero was a little unsettled, unsure if the intensity was due to loss or if he really had been falling for him before Duo’s death. After all, he hadn’t known he was in love with Duo until that close call so long ago. 

Most people would seek comfort like this without worrying so much about the reason. But he could see the softness in Wufei’s eyes when they were close like this, and he knew he had to be sure before he confessed the extent of his newfound feelings. Wufei was invested, and Heero didn’t want to be another source of loss for the pilot. Besides, Duo would never forgive him. He had been as close to Wufei as to Heero, after all. 

He sighed, apparently not for the first time, and was startled out of his thoughts by his bedmate’s sleep-rough voice. “Yuy, go to sleep.” When Heero moved to get up, unable to sleep with the rush of thoughts, Wufei caught his arm and tugged him back into bed on top of him. He let out a startled sound and Wufei chuckled under him. Sleepy and annoyed, he still looked breathtaking under Heero. They needed to talk, but pressed together so close, Heero couldn’t figure out what about. “Tell me?” Wufei asked, and Heero pushed himself up onto his knees, still straddling Wufei. 

That was a mistake. Both boys gasped, eyes going hazy at the rather...intimate contact they were experiencing. Wufei pulled him into a searing kiss, moaning into his mouth when Heero shifted, unintentionally grinding their hips together. When neither boy could stand the lack of oxygen, the two parted, Wufei releasing the fist that had been tangled in Heero’s shirtfront. 

Heero blushed from ears to chest and slid off the other teen, not meeting his eyes. “I think I didn’t want that to stop.” he said, thankful for the dark and the little bit of distance between them. “I know I didn’t.” was the whispered reply. Heero swallowed a groan. He hadn’t thought either of them were ready for more than a stray kiss. They hadn’t even figured out if they were together or just friends seeking comfort. They shouldn’t want this yet, but his skin was still on fire every place they had made contact. There was no way around it. He wanted Wufei. 

Not that he would act on it, at least not to the extend he felt they both wanted. But he wanted things to be more concrete. He didn’t want something to happen and leave them both wondering what all this was. He reached out, fumbling in the dark to find Wufei’s fingers and lace his own between them. “What are we?” He tried to sound confident, but his voice sort of dropped off on the last word. Wufei sat then, brushing his lips across Heero’s and making his pulse race. He was sure the other teen could hear his heartbeat. 

“What do you want this to be? I wanted to ask before. I don’t think either of us do casual, but I wasn’t sure you would want… That you could...” He huffed in frustration and the undeniably Duo-like action drew a husky chuckle from Heero’s lips. “It is fast.” Heero conceded “But I think we both want more from this than a warm body for comfort.” Heero paused to gather himself there. 

He knew that he had always been just on the edge of falling headfirst into feelings for the other pilot. Now that he’d examined things he could see it plainly. You didn’t find comfort in another man’s scent on your lover if you weren’t interested in him, too. And he hadn’t ever felt threatened even with the way Duo was always clinging to Wufei. Perhaps this was always an inevitability. Or maybe Heero never would have noticed. Wufei wouldn’t have spoken up. He’d be pining for Duo while Heero, and he suspected Duo as well, would be happy but missing something they would never be able to identify. 

“I think that this started before Duo was gone.” Heero was whispering and Wufei slid himself closer, resting his forehead against Heero’s. Heero pushed forward for a soft kiss, mostly just lips. When he pulled back, Wufei spoke. “Before, like how Duo…?” Heero nodded, knowing Wufei could feel the motion. They’d both known that Duo had always been inclined toward relationships involving more than two people. He’d never asked that of Heero, but he had made sure the boy knew that love for one did not diminish love for another. 

“I think you may be right.” Wufei noted, pressing himself into Heero’s lap. The way the other pilot slipped into his lap and slumped against him told Heero the rest of this conversation would have to wait. They were exhausted, and Heero thought he could sleep now that they had established that this was more than just comfort for the other. Heero pressed a kiss to his dozing partner’s forehead and felt Wufei scowl under his lips. “I’m not a child Yuy!” He would have sounded harsh, but the words were mumbled, nearly slurred as sleep caught up with him. 

They shifted back to their original position, Wufei’s back pressed against Heero’s chest and sighed contentedly. In unison. They would be alright, Heero decided. Duo had given them the tools they needed to work together, to figure out how this love thing was supposed to work for a second time. In the dark, up against the boy he was sharing his heart with, Heero felt the bubble of joy rising in his chest that had been tamped out the day Duo had died. 

Pressed together that night, Heero and Wufei slept more soundly than they had in months, confident that this was just the beginning.


End file.
